Elevator interlocking device.



F. c. HOL'BERG, JR. ELEVATOR lNTERiLOCKVING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FLED IAN I3 1919.

Patented Apr. 1,1919..

' 2*"SHEETS-SHEET d L u L alf.

Armen/Ex l F. C. HOLBERG, JB.

ELEvAToR INTEBLOCKxNG DEVICE.

APPLICATION FLED MN. 13| |919.

UNITE SATES AENT OFFICE.

FRANK C. HOLBERG, JR., 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIG-NOR TO IENINTERLOCK MANUFACTURING COMPANY, IN C. OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA,

A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

ELEVATOR INTERLOCKING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 1, 1919.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, FRANK C. I-IoLBERG, Jr., acitizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, county ofPhiladelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Elevator Interlocking Devices, of which the following isa full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

The object of my invention is to provide effective interlockingmechanism which will prevent the opening of the gate at each floorclosing the elevator shaft except when the car is immediately oppositethe landing and which will prevent the car being operated to leave thelanding until after the gate is closed. Such mechanism is known in theart, and my more specific object is to simplify the mechanism as far asis consistent with insuring its certain and accurate operation. Afurther object is to so construct the mechanism that it cannot betampered with by thevelevator attendants so as to render it inoperative.v

A preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawings. Thispreferred construction embodies certain structural eatures disclosed linan application filed by Thomas WV. Jenkins, Serial No. 244,680, tiledJuly 13, 1918, with the omission of the device therein shown forrendering the interlocking mechanism inoperative and with theinterlocking mechanism therein shown substantially .simplified andimproved. I do herein claim as my invention any struc* tural featuresdisclosed in'said application.

Figure 1 is a partial face view of the gate closing the shaft and ofthat portion of the locking mechanism directly coacting therewith.

Fig. 2 is horizontal section showing the locking mechanism in plan on anenlarged scale.

Fig. 3 is a section through part of the car showing in elevation themechanism for locking the controller.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the line 4-4 of Flg. 2.

Figs. 5 and 6 are face views of the part of the locking mechanism shownin Fig. 1 in two other positions respectively.

Fig. 7 is a vertical section on the, line 7--7 of Fig. 5., v Y

Fig. 8 is a vertical section on the line 8 8 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is an end view of the locking mechanism looking to the left ofFig. 5.

Inside the elevator shaft, at each `lan-ding a locking plate a carriesthe locking mechanism for the gate y -at that landing. e.v

represents the floor of an elevator car shown as on a level with thelanding. l

A bar b, secured to the gate y, `extends downward over the face of theplate a, where it engages, when the gate is closed or only slightlyopened, a notch c in a locking wheel o. The positions of the bar b andwheel c, when the gate is fully closed, are shown in Fig. 1. a

Assuming that the car is not directly opposite Ithe landing, and that itis attempted to open the gate, the wheel c is turned, in clockwisedirection, by the bar b, until a lug e on the wheel engages a stopformed by the inside corner of one end of an angle plate f secured tothe plate a. At this time the b'ar b has not cleared the notch in wheelo and therefore the gate is locked from further movement in thedirection to open.

It will be observed, in Fig. 7 that the.

wheel o is pushed out, in the direction of its axis, by a spring g, soas to cause the lug e to aline with the stop on plate f. When, however,the gate is fully closed and the wheel c is in the position shown inFig. 1,

a lug h on the wheel 0 engaging the inner face of the plate f, holds thewheel c in its inner axial position. As the wheel is turned away fromthis position, the internal cam face 14 of the stop plate f, along whichthe lug h slides, permits the spring to push the wheel o away from platea to cause the lug e, when it reaches the plate j", to strike it. In thereturn movement of the wheel c, the

lug l1., riding along the cam face 14, pushes the wheel in toward theplate a. If, howover, in the clockwise movement of the wheel c away fromthe position shown in Fig. 1, it is maintained pressed in against thespring g,'the lug e will, in its turning movement,'olear plate f andmove along within .its inside face until the lug h on thewhe'el contactswith a stop i xed on plate a, as shown in Fig. 6. Before the wheel hasreached this position, the bar b will have cleared the notch in wheel cso that the gate may be fully opened.

The wheel 0 is pressed inward againstv the action of spring g, only whena car is directly opposite a landing. The mechanism for so acting uponwheel' c will now be described. l

Pivoted on the plate z is a hinged plate having, along its free end, aridge m and feet n adapted to be engaged by a cam y' forming a part 'ofwheel c. Assuming that a car is not directly opposite the landing, andthat the wheel c is turned in the initial gate-opening movement abovedescribed, the cam j engages the feet n and swingsthe plate 7c out onits pivot until the cam clears the feet 'a' and the turning movement ofthe wheel c is arrested by the stop-plate f as above described. If,however, thef outward .swing of the plate 7c be arrested'before it hascleared the cam y', the wheel c .will be kept from moving out along itsaXis, which will allow the turning movement of the wheel c to continueand release the bar b from engagement therewith to permit the gate tovfully open.y The Voutward swinging movement of. thefplate'f: is soarrested only when aI caris directly opposite the landing and bymechanism about to be described. llt may be mentioned that while thefree' end of ythe plate la, when the gate is fully closer, is-

held in by means of a spring o (see Fig; 2), the powery of this springis not sufficient to overcome the spring g.

Beneath theloor e of the car is an angle frame p to which i's pivoted athree-armed lever Q. (lney of the arms of 'lever g is pivotallyconnected tofa lsleeve r slidable through the frame p. Within the openinner end of this sleeve is inserted a pin r abutting against avertically extending shoe s beveled at kopposite ends and backed by `astroi'ig tension spring t. The shoe s is carried `by a short arm 8 whichis pivotally mounted on a small bracket u secured vto the frame p. The,outward movement of the shoe 's is limited by an adjustablestop-bolt a.A spring w between one arm of lever and the frame p acts to normallyhold the sleeve 7' and shoe s outward as far as the stop o permits. Inthis position, when a car is-running-v past, or has just stopped at, alanding, the shoe s or the hinged plate 7c.

Vlfhen, however, the car has stopped di-` rectly opposite a landing, theshoe S is immediately opposite the ridge m. lt now, thegate be opened,the wheel c will have turned through but asmall arc when theoutward'movementI of the hinged plateA 7c (caused by the engagement ofthe -cam j withfthefeeta) will be arrested, and during a short furtherturning movement of the wheel @the continued engagement between theeami'j and.y the'rplate will' maintain the Wheel-:c` close to the plate@,so; that, in the still further movementiotlthe wheel: @the just clearsthe ridge m' lug e will clear the plate f. As hereinbefore explained,this permitsthe bar a to ride out of thel notch in wheel a and the, gateto be fully o ened; It should be, stated',` at this point, t at thespring t is an emergency spring, normally inactive, and of substantiallygreater strength than the spring g; also that the spring w, althoughweaker than the spring t, plus the weight of Y the controller lockingmechanism hereinafter described, is substantially stronger than thespring The elect, therefore, of the initial action etween cam jv and'hinged plate "7c is necessarily not to displace the shoe s but tomaintain the wheel 6- close to plate a, as described. i

However,` before the cam j hasclearedthe hinged plate @the furtheractionof cam upon hinged plate will be to cause the latter to'operatedirectly upon shoe s, to swing the lever gon. its axis. .The lever,yg'-, through a horizontal rod l0 and albell crank 11, operatesv anupright locking.y rod' 12, which is adapted, when thelever g is'. swungas described, to. enter a notch in the con troller. 13 on the car. Atthe time of this operation, the controllery has been' brought to theposition required to stopthe car and it is held locked, by the rod l2,in this position until the gate y is returned to its closed position. Inthe end portion of the closing movement oie the gate, the, bar b'returns the wheell c to its initial position and spring-w at once actstofreturn the lever g toits normal position, thereby restoring' theparts to the position shown-in Figs-l and@l and withdrawing rod l2- fromengagement with controller l Thus the locking or latching mechanismdescribed performs the function of an interlock, holding the car frombeing operated when the gate is opened.'v and locking the gate. fromopening eXceptwheny ther car is directly opposite thelanding.

The construction herein.y set fort-h is animprovement upon existingmechanism., in that it is certain in its action, very simple in con-vstruction when its certainty of' operation is considered, and incapableof.' being readily tamperedvwith to render it inoperative.- @ne of theserious objections to certain known interlocks, which otherwise possessconsiderL able merit, is the ease withwhich the interf locking mechanismmay be pluggedj (33 '71, this is undesirable; It Vmay be' that at;certain times the controller lockmay be removed or otherwise renderedinoperativev to permit thefcar f tooperate while" oneJ ogt`l the gatesis in an open position tenths purpose of making some repair. In thesecircumstances the shoe s Will project out into the path of the hingedplate lc and Will be struck thereby When the car presses the open gate.The effect Will be to compress the spring t until the shoe s has beenoverridden. Otherwise, the car would receive lan abrupt check, or, Whatis more likely, the locking mechanism Would be broken by the impact.

Having now fully described my invention, What I claim and desire toprotect by Letters Patent is:

l. In elevator locking mechanism, the combination With the landing gate,of a turnable member, means on the gate adapted, as the gate is movedfrom its closed position, to turn the turnable member, and a stopadapted to arrest the turning movement of the turnable member andthereby hold the gate from further opening, said turnable member beingmovable in the direction of its aXis into position to enable it to clearthe stop and thereby permit its turningmovement to continue until thegate is released.

'2. In an elevator locking mechanism, the combination With the landinggate and the car, of a turnable member movable in the direction of itsaXis, means on the gate adapted, as the gate is moved from its closedposition, to turn the turnable member, a stop adapted to arrest theturning movement of the turnable member and thereby hold the gate fromfurther opening, a spring adapted, before the turnable member is engagedby the stop, to move the turnable member along its aXis into alinementwith the stop, and means carried by the car, and operable when the carreaches a predetermined position, to hold said spring from so operating,thereby enabling the turnable member to clear the stop.

3. In elevator locking mechanism, the combination with the landing gateand a movable car, of a turnable member, means on the gate adapted asthe gate is moved from its closed position, to turn the turnable member,a stop adapted to arrest the movement of the turnable member, saidturnable member being movable in the direction of its axis into positionto enable it to clear the stop, a cam on the turnable member, a swingingmember adapted to be actuated by the cam, and a shoe carried by the caradapted, When the car is in a denite vertical position relatively tosaid gate, to limit the cam-actuated movement of the swinging member,thereby causing the latter, as thel turnable member continues to turn,to maintain the turnable member in position to cause it to clear saidstop.

4. In an elevator locking mechanism, the combination With the landinggate, the car, a controller on the car, and a controller lock, of aturnable member, means on the gate adapted, as the gate is moved aWayfrom its closed position, to turn the turnable member, a stop for theturnable member, a spring tending to move said turnable member along itsaXis into alinement With said stop, means carried by the car adapted torestrain said turnable member as it turns from being moved intoalinement With said stop by said spring, said car-carried means beingalso operable by said turnable member to operate said controller lock.

5. In an elevator locking mechanism, the combination With the landinggate and the car, of a turnable member movable in the direction of itsaXis,fmeans on the gate adapted, as the gate is moved from its closedposition, to turn4 the turnable member, a stop adapted to arrest theturning movement of the turnable. member and thereby hold the gate fromfurther opening, a spring adapted to move the turnable member along itsaXis into alinement With said stop, mechanism carried by the car andoperable When the car reaches a predetermined position to hold saidspring from so operating, thereby enabling the turnable member to clearthe stop, a controller on the car, said mechanism being operable by saidturnable member to lock said controller, and a spring adapted to returnsaid mechanism to normal position.

G. In an elevator landing mechanism, the combination with the landinggate, the car, a controller on the car, and a controller lock, of aturnable member, means on the gate adapted, as the gate is moved awayfrom its closed position, to turn the turnable member, a stop adapted toarrest the movement of the turnable member, a spring adapted to rendersaid stop operative, mechanism carried by the car and operable, by saidturnable member, when ,the car reaches a predetermined position, torender said controller lock operative and move said turnable member outof operative relation with said stop, and a spring adapted to returnsaid mechanism to normal position'.

In testimony of Which invention, I have hereunto set my hand, atPhiladelphia, Pa., on this 27th day of December, 1918.

FRANK C. I-IOLBERG, JR.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each. by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0.

